With the activation of prepurchased <a href="http://www.half-life2.com";>Half-Life 2</a> copies today, computer consultant billing rates are expected to skyrocket for the short term. Market demand is expected to drive the rates for available computer consultants to new highs, well exceeding those of the "dot-com" era.
Why, you might ask? In a market economy, goods and services are priced based on available supply and the demand for those goods and services. With hordes of computer consultants electing to "take a little time off to play Half-Life 2," consultants will be able to pick and choose among potential clients and price their services properly to compensate them for foregoing the thrills of Half-Life 2 for a few weeks. Many political jurisdictions have passed laws designed to protect innocent consumers from predatory pricing after natural disasters. However, State and local "price gouging" laws are not expected to affect this market-based price rise, as the shortage of available consultants is not expected to qualify under the laws' terms. Politicians, reacting to constituents' concerns, are expected to quickly attempt to change the laws to treat "loss of email and/or web services" as a disaster. At 08:56 AM 11/16/2004, with a Subject "HalfLife2 activated this morning", John Hebert wrote: >Looks like I will be locked in my hovel for a couple >of weeks (months?). > >John Terry Stockdale -- Baton Rouge, LA http://www.terrystockdale.com
